Joshua berry



(No Model.)

J.,BER RY GRAIN URADLE- Patented May 1, 188-8.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSHUA BERRY, OF J ONESBOROUGH, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO F. G. BETTS, OF SAME PLACE.

GRAIN-CRADLE.

srncrrrcarron forming part of Letters Patent No. 382,024, dated May 1, 1888.

Application filed September 29, 1887. Serial No. 251,060. (No model.)

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osHUA BERRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jonesborough, in the county of Clayton and State of Georgia, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Grain-Cradles, which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in graincradles; and it consists in a certain novel construction and arrangement of parts for service, fully set forth hereinafter, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of the cradle. Fig. 2 is a detail section of the lower end of the snath to show the attachment of the scythe-blade thereto. Fig. 3 1s a detail view of the back end of the scythe. Fig. 4 is a detail view. Referring by letter to the drawings, A deslgnates the snath, of the ordinary shape, provided on the under side, at the lower end, with a groove, a, the upper end of the said groove terminating in a depression or socket, a.

B represents a nib attached to the snath.

0 represents the scythe-blade, of the ordinary shape, having the tang D on the rear end, adapted to be placed in the groove in the snath. The extremity of the said tang D is bent over to form a hook to fit in the socket a at the upper end of the said groove (1. I

E represents a band secured to the snath near the lower end and passing around the tang D of the blade, and F represents a wedge adapted to be driven between the said band and the outer side of the tang D, to firmly secure the latter in the groove.

G designates an upright or post secured at the lower end to the blade near its outer end or point, and H designates a similar post bolted to the blade near its inner end. The upper end of the post G is inserted in the lower arm of the socket-piece I, and a finger or top bar, K, is attached to the upper ends of the uprights G and H and inserted at the outer end in the horizontal arm of the said socket-piece. The inner end of the finger K extends beyond the upright H, and is secured at the extremity to a third upright or post, L, which is secured at its lower end to the lower end of the snath.

. M designates a brace-bar extending from th post L near the upper end to the snath near the nib, and N N designate similar braces extending from different points along the upright Hto the snath, these latter being also designed to prevent the grain from slipping off the cradle at the inner end.

0 O designate the fingers, extending from the post L through the post H and secured at their outer ends in the post G.

It will be seen that the construction of this cradle is very simple and strong. The lower ends of the uprights G and H are secured to the scythe by bolts or screws passed up through the latter. The advantage of the third post, L, is to strengthen the cradle and prevent the same from twisting when a heavy weight of grain falls against the point of the same. This accident is liable to happen when only two posts are used, for the reason that there is not substantial attachment to the snath of the inner ends of the fingers.

The construction herein shown and described allows of a very secure bracing of the parts, and as the same may be accomplished without materially adding to the weight, the result is an improvement.

The manner herein described of attaching the scythe to the snath is very simple, the connection is easily made, and there is little liability of the parts becoming detached. The band being secured around the lower end of the snat-h prevents the same from splitting, and when the wedge is driven in between the band and the outer side of the tang on the scythe the said scythe is very securely attached to the snath.

The socket-piece, I, herein described is in the form of an angle, having ahorizontal anda vertical arm, each of which forms a socket, in which the end of one of the bars of the frame maybeinserted. Thesaidsocket-pieceisplaced at the upper outer corner of the said frame, and the ends of the upright G and the top fin= ger, K, are inserted therein, and thus they are bound securely together. The said joint between the upright and the finger is much more secure than it could be if simply bolts were used. The bars are prevented from splitting at the same time that they are bound-together.

The cradle as herein described is composed of wood, preferably, and therefore, although there are a few more parts comprising it than in other frames, (which are constructed without the additional or third standard or upright,) the weight is in reality less. Being constructed of wood and in the manner described, the frame is given a rebounding fiexi ble action which iron or metallic cradles lack. This is an advantage, from the fact that asudden strain on any part of the cradle does not strain the same, but it yields and then returns to its first shape immediately.

It will be seen that the ends of the braces N are inserted at their upper ends in apertures in the upright H and at their lower ends in apertures in the snath. The brace M. is similarly attached to the upright L and the snath. This construction obviates the necessity of using any supplemental means of attach ment. The lower ends of the braces might be attached to a separate but which is secured to the snath; but this is objectionable, as its adds weight and renders the cradle clumsy to handie. It also adds to the cost of manufacture. It will be seen, therefore, that it is far preferable to attach the ends of the said braces directly to the parts which they are intended to brace, as shown and described herein.

The fingers 0 pass through the upright H, and there is much less danger of their being broken when this method of construction is followed.

Having thus described the construction and arrangement of my invention, I claim- 1. The combination, with the snath and the scythe attached thereto, of the uprightsG and H, secured at their lower ends to the scythe respectively near its outer and inner ends, the socket-piece I, having its vertical arm arranged on the upper end of the upright G, the top finger, K, secured to the upper end of the upright H and inserted at its outer end in the horizontal arm of the socket-piece, the said finger being extended inward beyond the upright H, the upright L, secured to the lower end of the snath and attached atits upper end to the inner end of the finger K, the fingers O, secured at their inner ends in the upright L and at their outer ends in the upright G, and passing at their intermediate points through the upright H, the brace M, extending from the upper end of the upright L to the suath, and the braces N, extending from intermediate points of the upright H to the snath, substantially as specified.

2. In a grain-cradle, the combination of the snath and the scythe secured thereto, the outer and inner uprights, G and H, secured at their lower ends to the scythe, the top finger, K, connecting the upper ends of the said uprights and extending inward beyond the inner upright, the upright L, attached atits lower end to the snath, and having an aperture in its upper end to receive the inner end of the finger K, the fingers O, passing, through the upright H at intermediate points of its length and se cured at their ends,respectively,to the uprights G and L, the brace M, inserted at its ends in apertures in the upright L and the snath, and the braces N, inserted at their ends in apertures at intermediate points of the upright H and the snath, substantially as and for the pun pose hereinbefore specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSHU A BERRY. 

